Multi-paneled drapery construction

ABSTRACT

A multi-paneled drapery construction is disclosed wherein four separate fabric panels, each having a respective finished side for display, are assembled and joined together to produce an integrated drapery article having an open bottom end and a pair of reversible rod pockets formed thereon for alternately suspending the drapery article so that the finished sides may be selectively displayed at equal lengths. The rod pockets are formed from the assembled panels and disposed in juxtaposition along the top of the drapery article, each of the pair being seamed together along their intermediate length to allow one of the rod pockets to be exposed upon the drapery article while the other rod pocket is contained within. The rod pockets are reversed in their respective positions by withdrawing the rod pockets together through the open bottom end of the drapery article. The finished sides of the fabric panels are preferably of different print designs and have coordinated colors and patterns so that the drapery article can provide multiple decorating options.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to drapery construction, and more particularly to a multi-paneled drapery construction wherein four separate fabric panels having coordinated print designs are arranged in combination and joined together to form an integrated drapery article having a dual set of reversible rod pockets for alternately suspending the drapery article so that the fabric panels may be selectively displayed at equal hanging lengths.

In the field of interior design, curtains and drapery constructions made of fabric material are used extensively to cover and decorate windows, walls and other surface areas throughout homes and offices. Typically sewn together and made in a variety of designs and patterns, these drapery constructions are generally hung on rods in a substantially vertical position over and upon the surface area to be covered or decorated and are often adapted to move along the rods and across the associated surface area to permit opening and closing of similarly hung but separable drapery articles.

As part of an overall design scheme or decorating arrangement, the exterior panels of these hanging draperies are usually coordinated in color and pattern with the surrounding room surfaces and those items of furnishings placed in proximity to the draperies. Because the draperies tend to be custom made and sized in their width and height dimensions, a change made in the color or design pattern of the room or a desired seasonal change in the appearance of the room will in most cases require a costly replacement of the draperies, particularly their exterior panels, in order to accommodate the change and coordinate the overall design appearance of the room.

Existing designs have been developed for reversible curtains and drapes constructed having a pair of coextensive panels joined together with their opposite faces bearing different colors and patterns. While those existing reversible curtains and draperies have been found satisfactory in presenting alternate surface appearances and in accommodating, to some degree, prospective changes in the design and decor of a room, they are limited to their dual-faced construction and to the selected colors and patterns presented by the opposed panels on either side. A need therefore exists for an improved drapery construction having a wider range of convertibility in its appearance and a greater adaptability to design changes that may affect the decor of a room or other interior space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general purpose and object of the present invention to provide an improved drapery construction that is more convertible in its appearance and more adaptable to changes in surrounding décor than those curtains and draperies heretofore developed.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved drapery construction having a greater number of finished display panels incorporated in a single drapery article with the panels adapted to hang the same length and capable of selected display for the particular decorative application.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-paneled drapery system and method of making same that affords a variety of decorative presentations for walls, windows and other surface areas without the need for a costly replacement of the drapery.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-paneled drapery construction that can be easily hung or suspended as a wall or window treatment and as necessary, able to traverse along a rod or like support in separable drapery articles.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-paneled drapery system that is relatively inexpensive to construct, easy to manipulate in its constructed state, and readily assembled for use in a variety of decorating applications.

Briefly, these and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a multi-paneled drapery system and method of construction wherein four separate fabric panels, each having a respective finished side for display, are assembled and joined together to produce an integrated drapery article having an open bottom end and a pair of reversible rod pockets formed thereon for alternately suspending the drapery article so that the finished sides may be selectively displayed at equal lengths. The rod pockets are formed from the assembled panels and disposed in juxtaposition along the top of the drapery article, each of the pair being seamed together along their intermediate length to allow one of the rod pockets to be exposed upon the drapery article while the other rod pocket is contained within. The rod pockets are reversed in their respective positions by withdrawing the rod pockets together through the open bottom end of the drapery article. The finished sides of the fabric panels are preferably of different print designs and have coordinated colors and patterns so that the drapery article can provide multiple decorating options.

In a preferred construction of the drapery article, the fabric panels are first assembled and joined in separate pairs with the finished sides of the panels similarly facing, each pair being joined by a respective intermediate seam. The joined pairs of fabric panels are next combined with their intermediate seams aligned and all finished sides outwardly facing and the combined pairs stitched together along separate seams made equidistant from the intermediate seams on each pair. The combined pairs are then drawn apart along their intermediate seams and the separate seams on each side drawn together and joined beneath the intermediate seams to position and form the rod pockets. The fabric panels are finally closed along their side edges and hemmed around the open bottom end to complete construction of the present drapery article.

For a better understanding of these and other aspects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals and character designate like parts throughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, references in the detailed description set forth below shall be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is front perspective view of the drapery article constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown suspended along a wall surface;

FIG. 2 is a sectional representation of the drapery article of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is front perspective view of the drapery article illustrated in FIG. 1 but showing the rod pockets in reversed positions in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4E is a schematic representation of steps of a preferred method for constructing the present drapery article, partly shown in side elevation and partly in perspective; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration in perspective of the drapery article in the final stage of its construction in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the best presently contemplated mode of its production and practice. This description is further made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention but should not be taken in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being best determined by reference to appended claims.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a drapery article 10, made of flexible fabric material and constructed in accordance with the present invention, is shown suspended in a position along a wall 12 or other vertically oriented surface. The drapery article 10 is supported in its suspended position upon a rod 14 or like member disposed in a substantially horizontal attitude and mounted to the wall using conventional means so that the drapery article may hang freely from the rod a certain length and cover a desired portion of the wall 12. The present drapery article 10 is constructed from an assembly of four separate fabric panels 20, 22, 24, and 26 that are joined together in stages and along predetermined seam lines, described in greater detail below, to produce an integrated unit having a dual set of rod pockets 16 and 18 that are reversible for alternately suspending the drapery article upon rod 14 in accordance with the present invention.

The four separate panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 are each made from a single fabric material or from a combination of a lining material and a fabric. The fabrics of panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 may be of similar material but are preferred to be different and have coordinated print designs to maximize the aesthetic effects and advantages of the present invention. Each panel 20, 22, 24 and 26 is conventionally made having a respective finished side 20 a, 22 a, 24 a, and 26 a, also referred to as the “good” side, on which the particular print design of the fabric material appears and an unfinished side 20 b, 22 b, 24 b and 26 b that serves as the underside of each respective panel in the present construction of drapery article 10. The separate fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 are joined together throughout the present construction using conventional sewing techniques and are constructed in accordance with a sequence of steps detailed below to form the drapery article 10 of the present invention.

As best seen in the completed drapery article 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the finished sides 20 a, 22 a, 24 a and 26 a is disposed outwardly relative to the respective unfinished side 20 b, 22 b, 24 b and 26 b of the fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 so that the finished sides (20 a and 22 a in FIGS. 1 and 2) may be displayed in pairs on opposite faces of the drapery article beneath the dual set of rod pockets 16 and 18. With the drapery article 10 suspended as shown in FIG. 1, one pair of the fabric panels 20 and 22 extends from and hangs a certain desired length beneath the exposed first rod pocket 16 with the respective finished sides of the panels 20 a and 22 a each bearing a distinctive print design and appearing on opposite faces of the drapery article. In the alternative disposition of the drapery article 10 shown in FIG. 3, the second pair of fabric panels 24 and 26 extends downward and hangs the equivalent desired length from the exposed second rod pocket 18 with their respective finished sides 24 a and 26 a appearing on opposite faces of the drapery article. It should be noted that in accordance with the present drapery construction and as detailed in the construction of the reversible rod pockets 16 and 18, the hanging lengths of the respective fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 and their respective finished sides 20 a, 22 a, 24 a, and 26 a from either of the rod pockets 16 and 18 remain substantially the same.

The first rod pocket 16, appearing on the exterior of the drapery article in FIG. 1, is formed along the top of the drapery article substantially across the entire length thereof and sized in its cavity to retain the rod 14 when longitudinally disposed therein. The second rod pocket 18, shown within the drapery article 10 by dotted outline in FIG. 1, is formed in juxtaposition to the first rod pocket 16 along the top of the drapery article and is sized similarly to contain rod 14 when implemented in accordance with the present invention. As is described in greater detail below, the first and second rod pockets 14 and 16, respectively, are seamed together along their intermediate length and made reversible in their position along the top of the drapery article 10 to permit one of the rod pockets to be exposed upon the drapery article while the other rod pocket is contained therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A-4E in conjunction with FIGS. 1-3, a preferred method for construction of drapery article 10 can be described. Initially, the fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 are assembled and placed together in separate pairs with their finished sides 20 a, 22 a, 24 a and 26 a facing each other as shown in FIG. 4A. Following this initial step and further depicted in FIG. 4B, the first pair of fabric panels 20, 22 is then joined together along the top edge of the assembled pair by a first intermediate seam S1 sewn approximately ½ inch from the top edge while the second assembled pair of fabric panels 24, 26 is similarly joined along its top edge by a second intermediate seam S2. Each of the joined pairs of fabric panels 20, 22 and 24, 26 is then opened along the respective intermediate seams S1 and S2, extending the panels of each joined pair so that the finished sides 20 a, 22 a and 24 a, 26 a of each panel are outwardly facing. With the joined pairs of the fabric panels 20, 22 and 24, 26 in this extended position, the opened pairs are assembled together with their unfinished sides 20 b, 24 b and 22 b, 26 b immediately facing each other and their intermediate seams S1 and S2 being aligned, as seen in FIG. 4C. In this assembled position, a pair of substantially parallel seams S3 and S4 are made and sewn through the fabric panels on either side of the intermediate seams S1 and S2, each of the substantially parallel seams being equally distant from the aligned intermediate seams. In this step of the drapery construction as depicted in FIG. 4D, seam S3 is sewn through and along the assembled fabric panels 20 and 24 on one side of the intermediate seams S1, S2 while separate seam S4 is made through and along the assembled fabric panels 22 and 26 on the opposite side of the intermediate seams. It should be noted that the placement of these separate seams S3 and S4 and particularly their spacing on either side of the intermediate seams S1, S2 establishes the intended size of the respective openings of the first and second rod pockets 16 and 18. Depending upon the diameter of the rod 14 intended to support the drapery article 10 and the desired fit of the rod within the rod pockets 16 and 18, the spacing of the separate seams S3 and S4 may be varied.

Upon completion of the parallel seams S3 and S4 through and along the assembled fabric panels 20, 24 and 20, 26, the edges of the assembled panels are sewn together along both sides thereof beneath the parallel seams by an side seam S5 and along the bottom of the assembled panels by a bottom seam S6 as shown in FIG. 4E. The assembled fabric panels 20, 22, 24, and 26 are next drawn outward and apart in the middle of their assembly along the intermediate seams S1 and S2 while the separate seams S3 and S4 are drawn together into immediate contact beneath the intermediate seams to configure the first and second rod pockets 16 and 18. A transverse seam stitch S7 is then applied along the line where parallel seams S3 and S4 are drawn into contact to bind those seams together and establish the separate formation and juxtaposition of the respective rod pockets 16 and 18 along the top of the drapery article 10. The line of seam stitch S7 also secures and fixes the top edge of the assembled pairs of fabric panels 20, 24 and 22, 26 that are joined together on either side of the rod pockets 16 and 18 and thus allows the panels to extend and drape from the pockets in equal lengths. With the seam line S7 established between the rod pockets 16 and 18, the assembled fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 joined together in pairs are lapped in the same direction enveloping one of the rod pockets, as may be seen in FIG. 5. In this enveloped position of FIG. 5, the seamed edges of the fabric panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 along both sides are closed about the enveloped rod pocket 18 and a finished hem is applied with to the panels around the open bottom end to complete construction of the present drapery article 10.

While the foregoing drapery construction is a preferred method in its sequence of steps, other steps may be taken effectively and in accordance with the present invention to combine the four separate fabric panels 20, 22, 24, and 26 in an integral unit having their respective finished sides 20 a, 22 a, 24 a, and 26 a properly disposed and made to drape freely and in equal lengths from the joint seam line S7 between the reversible rod pockets 16 and 18. It should also be appreciated that while the open bottom end of the present drapery article 10 is provided to allow the withdrawal and reversal of the rod pockets 16 and 18 there through, the open bottom end may be adapted and equipped for selective closure by installing a zipper or other like fastening means along the bottom end of the drapery article.

It should noted and understood that the pair of rod pockets 16 and 18 formed, as described, in juxtaposition along the top of the drapery article 10 and made reversible within its construction may, as an alternative, be closed at the respective ends thereof and further seamed along their lengths should rod 14 or a like supporting member not be employed in the mounted suspension of the drapery article. In such a case where a mounting rod is not employed but rather, for instance, mounting hooks or like fasteners are used to effect the suspension of the drapery article 10, the closing and seaming of the rod pockets, converting each to a form of mounting header (rather than open pocket) made similarly reversible, would be an apparent modification of the present drapery construction within the scope of the present invention. Likewise, a conversion of the pair of rod pockets 16 and 18, as shown described above, into a respective series of reversible loops across the top of the drapery article 10 would constitute a modification within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Therefore, it is apparent that the described invention generally provides an improved drapery construction that is more convertible in its appearance and more adaptable to changes in surrounding décor than those curtains and draperies heretofore developed. More particularly, the present invention provides an improved drapery construction having a greater number of finished display panels incorporated in a single article with each of the panels being capable of separate presentation selected for the particular decorative application. The described multi-paneled drapery construction and method of making same further affords a variety of decorative presentations for walls, windows and other surface areas without the need for a costly replacement of the drapery. In its constructed state, the disclosed multi-paneled drapery system can be easily hung or suspended as a wall or window treatment and as necessary, further traversed along a rod or like support in separable units. In addition, the present multi-paneled drapery system is relatively inexpensive to construct, easy to manipulate in its constructed state, and readily assembled for use in a variety of decorating applications.

Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the present invention will readily come to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and drawings. Alternate embodiments of different shapes and sizes, as well as substitution of known materials or those materials which may be developed at a future time to perform the same function as the present described embodiment are therefore considered to be part of the present invention. For example, the assembled and joined fabric panels as well as their associated rod pockets may be pleated along their surfaces. Further, the present drapery construction system and the dual set of reversible rod pockets incorporated therein may be employed with respect to shorter lengths of fabric panels to produce multi-paneled valence with the same convertibility as the described drapery article. Accordingly, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described, but rather is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as expressed in the appended claims. 

1. A drapery construction system comprising: a set of four panel members each made of fabric material and having a finished surface thereon, said panel members being assembled together and interconnected to form an integrated drapery article having a pair of reversible pocket members incorporated therein for alternately suspending the drapery article so that a selected one of the finished surfaces of said panel members may be displayed.
 2. The drapery construction system according to claim 1, wherein said reversible pocket members are integrally formed with said panel members and juxtaposed along the top of the drapery article.
 3. The drapery construction system according to claim 2, wherein said pair of reversible pocket members are seamed together along the intermediate lengths thereof, the pocket members being selectively movable from inside to outside of the drapery unit.
 4. The drapery construction system according to claim 3, wherein the reversible pockets are closed across the respective lengths thereof.
 5. The drapery construction system according to claim 1, wherein the finished surfaces of said panel members are each provided with a coordinated design.
 6. The drapery construction system according to claim 5, wherein the drapery unit is formed having an open bottom end opposite from the reversible pockets.
 7. A drapery article comprising: an assembly of four panel members of fabric material, each of said panel members having a finished side for display, said assembly of panels being interconnected along a joint seam line at the top of said assembly with the finished sides of the panels outwardly facing; and a pair of pocket members joined together in juxtaposition and reversibly disposed along the joint seam line for suspending said assembly of panel members alternately from either of the pocket members so that the finished sides of the panel members may be selectively displayed.
 8. A drapery article according to claim 7, wherein said pair of pocket members are integrally formed together with said assembly of panel members.
 9. A drapery article according to claim 8, wherein said assembly of panel members are closed together along the edges thereof and about the pocket members at the top of said assembly.
 10. A drapery article according to claim 9, wherein said assembly of panel members is further formed with an open bottom end opposite from said pair of pocket members.
 11. A drapery article according to claim 10, wherein the finished sides of said assembly of panel members are each displayed at substantially the same length.
 12. A drapery article according to claim 8, wherein each of the finished sides of said panel members displays a coordinated design pattern.
 13. A drapery article according to claim 8, wherein said pair of pocket members are closed across the respective lengths thereof.
 14. A drapery construction comprising the steps of: assembling a set of four fabric panels in pairs, each panel having a respective finished side for display; connecting pairs of the assembled fabric panels along a respective intermediate seam with the finished sides of the panels facing in the same direction; combining the connected pairs of fabric panels with the intermediate seams aligned and the finished sides outwardly facing; stitching the combined pairs of fabric panels together along a pair of separate seams made substantially parallel, one of each of said separate seams being made on either side of the aligned intermediate seams; joining the pair of separate seams together along a transverse seam made between the aligned intermediate seams to integrally form a pair of pocket members juxtaposed and connected together along the transverse seam; and closing the combined fabric panels along the edges thereof about the pocket members. 